Keepers of Pokemon

Chapter 8- When the motto is worse then the battle.

They took a mix of paths after leaving the man, his feet frozen to the ground in case he tried to get reinforcements. The twisting and turning of the tunnels gave them a wide range of options.

When they felt they had gotten far enough, they stopped to catch their breath.

NoWilfride had grown silent and had a cold look on her face.

Flareon and Pichu both collapsed from exhaustion, taking hard breaths. Clearly the Pokémon needed to take a rest. 

Wilfride had her back to them, her mind clearly somewhere else.

"I have heard of Team Rocket but meeting one of it's members face to face was scary." Domino said, placing her hand on her chest. She looked at Wilfride, who didn't respond. "Hey. Are you alright? You've been quiet ever since we left that guy?"

"How could they know?" Wilfride whispered to herself. 

Domino stepped over and placed her hand on Wilfride's shoulder. Wilfride suddenly jumped back, as if she had never been touched before.  

"I wasn't trying to startle you." Domino said softly. "I just wanted to see what's wrong."

Wilfride looked away from her. "I don't think we were brought here to find a Veil opening." 

"But the energy you felt-,"

"-Disappeared right after I got done talking to fake Batman." Wilfride cut in, sitting down on another rock. "And learn what is actually going on here. It's not Pokemon Trainers forcing Pokemon to battle, it's even worse." Wilfride looked at Flareon. "That Flareon had escaped one of their facilities."

"Facility?" Domino asked.

"According to that man, Team Rocket's main focus is stealing or capturing rare and strong Pokémon, and subsequently selling them; it also funds and conducts cruel experimental research on Pokémon. At times, it has even killed Pokémon." Wilfride took a deep breath. "I think...I think were supposed to take out this organization and maybe others like it."

Domino brought Pichu into her arms. "What were they doing here?"

Wilfride grew quiet once more. She clenched her fist, Ice formed around her gloved hand and then thrust it at the rocky cave wall, leaving a indention. 

"...They know..."

Domino gave the Pokemon a confused glance then looked back to Wilfride. "Know what?"

Wilfride turned back to her. "My power has a spiritual connection to another and that hench goon said its name.  They were tracing its energy levels.  It passed through here. That's what I felt."

"So they're hunting another Keeper?" Domino then asked.

"Their hunting the Eternal Flame."  

Wilfride's eyes suddenly widened and she grabbed Domino's arm and pulling her behind a large rock.

"What are you-" Domino was cut off when Wilfride put a hand over her mouth.

"Keep quiet for two seconds, will you?! Someone is coming," A beam from a flashlight bobbed up and down the tunnel. They ducked when it pointed in their direction, hearing the crunch of boots get closer. "Did you see where those girl's went?" said a man's voice.

His partner replied, "They went this way, I'm sure of it."

"But it's so dark. I can hardly see anything."

"Well, maybe they got scared off and ran out the way they came in. We would've known if they tried to leave to Cerulean City."

That's when they heard stray footsteps, making Domino jump out of her skin. Wilfride kept her from giving away their hiding spot. Promising to remain silent, they peeked around the rock. A third person hurriedly approached out of breath. "Bob was attacked!"